Partition-walls formed of prefabricated elements

ABSTRACT

A prefabricated partition-wall element constituted by a parallelepiped-shaped plate of relatively great length as compared to its width, and comprising a rigid and resistant core covered with apparent facings of smooth coatings whose dimensions are equal to the largest dimensions of the element, said core being provided on its narrow faces and all along its periphery with sunk and raised portions provided in the material of the core and intended to ensure the binding with the adjacent elements subsequent to interposition of a binder.

United States Patent Tillie 1 July 25, 1972 PARTITION-WALLS FORMED O$28,636 1 H1894 Kupper .52/437 PREFABRICATED ELEMENTS 2,838,144 6/1958MacDonald 52/585 X 3.389.517 6/1968 Dunnington .52/238 [72] inventor:Jean-Claude Tillie, Marcz en Baroeul,

mm FORElGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 13,092 1/1 897 Switzerland ..s2/43722 i SCPL 23 970 63,154 3/1955 France "52/437 [2| 1 Appl' No; 74'803Primary ExaminerPrice C. Faw, Jr.

Attorney-Kenyon & Kenyon Reilly Carr & Chapin [30] Foreign ApplicationPriority Data Sept. 25, i969 France ..6932656 ABSTRACT A prefabricatedpartition-wall element constituted by a para]- [52] U.S. Cl ..52/238,52/309, 52/437, lelepiped-shaped plate of relatively great length ascompared 52/582, 52/615 to its width, and comprising a rigid andresistant core covered [51] Int. Cl. ..Eo4h 2/10, E04b i/lO i h pp rentf cings of smoo h oatings whose dimensions 58 Fieldorsearch....................s2 437, 438, 439, 422, 238, are equal 10 thelargest dimensions of the element. said core 52 22 53 5 5 0 2 beingprovided on its narrow faces and all along its periphery with sunk andraised portions provided in the material of the [56] defences Cited coreand intended to ensure the binding with the adjacent elements subsequentto interposition of a binder.

10 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures Patented July 25, 1972 2 Sheets-Sheet 1Patented July 25, 1972 3,678,640

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 c/EQN' C1 4005 77LL/E 5 Y r?? u @756 954,.- 77D/QNE ZSI VE N TOF PARTITION-WALLS FORMED F FREFABRICATED ELEMENTS The presentinvention relates to a prefabricated partitionwall element ofinter-level height constituted by a parallelepiped-shaped plate.

The invention also concerns the various uses of such elements which, bybeing appropriately shaped, offer multiple possibilities of assemblingin vertical, horizontal and all directions. Such assemblies may serve asdividing walls for habitable rooms or for industrial, commercial orornamental purposes, as well as doubling or ceiling partitions.

In the present state of the art. 85 percent of the partitions used aremounted in the conventional" way, while the remaining percent are"prefabricated elements." indeed, the latter do not yet meet thesimplification and competitiveness purposes sought for in themanufacturing stage as well as the installation or placing stage.

Among the prefabricated elements of inter-level height proposed up tothe present, some are made:

exclusively from plaster. They are frangible, heavy and theirfabrication requires considerable labor. Their installation is stillrudimentary and their assemblies are liable to serious behavior defects,especially as far as vertical and horizontal cracking at the level ofthe joints is concerned;

from plaster coated with paper constituting thin sheen assembled bymeans of cardboard. They are very flexible, very hydrose nsitive, toolight and therefore very sounding;

from plaster coated with paper, mounted on a metal frame or carcass.Their drawbacks are the same as those mentioned above. Such partitionsare very costly,

from bricks coated with plaster. Their fabrication rim sitatesconsiderable labor and their installation is carried out according to aprocess which is very close to conventional processes. Their heavyweight, hydrosensitivity and the inevitable cracking at the level of thevertical and horizontal joints. in addition to their relatively highcost resulting from manufacturing and installation difficulties, aretheir main drawbacks;

from wood particles covered with veneer. They may be tubular or solid.Their main drawback is that their cost is very high, for they are formedof costly raw materials and the process of fabrication is verycomplicated. Their appearance is not that of conventional partitionsowing to the necessity, in most cases, of applying joint covers or buttstraps and high and low braces, unless a pronounced" joint is left. Theyare fabricated in standard dimensions and must be sawn on the site.Lastly they are very hydrosensitive;

from compressed straw impregnated with a synthetic resin and coated withpaper. Such a partition, the price of which is competitive, is howeverhighly hydrosensitive, and this considerably limits its use. Thesystematic use of braces and joint covers imparts to it a highlyanaesthetic appearance;

from metal, especially aluminum. Such elements are costly althoughrecoverable. This advantage is not indispensable in most cases. Theiruse is limited to the partitioning of offices.

The present invention is intended to remedy the aforesaid variousdrawbacks and to afford new advantages.

The prefabricated partition-wall element according to the invention ischaracterized mainly by the fact that it is composed of a rigid andresistant core covered with apparent facings of smooth coatings, thedimensions of which are equal to the largest dimensions of the element,and is provided on its narrow faces and all around its periphery withsunk and raised portions provided in the material of the core andensuring the binding with the adjacent elements subsequent tointerposition of a binder.

The said element is strictly identical with the adjacent elements,especially in thickness, and is perfectly adaptable to the walls andfloors.

The lower portion of the said element is waterproofed by way ofsteeping.

It is convenient to design the sunk and raised portions on the narrowfaces in the form of parallel grooves on the outer faces and of cavitieswhose axes are located in the medial plane of the element but areoblique with respect to the said narrow faces.

The partitions assembled from the elements defined hereabove arecharacterized by the fact that the elements are accurately juxtaposed bybeing keyed, and then a binder is injected between them so as to tillthe grooves and the cavities and by hardening firmly binds together thevarious elements of the partition, a malleable product being cast on theside where the keys are located, the said keys thus remaining in placein the mounted partition.

In making vertical partitions, the elements, whose height is a littleless than that of the wall between the floors, are keyed from underneathso as to be applied at their top and their sides on the adjacentelements, the lower keys being subsequently concealed.

The following description gives a non-limitative example of theelements, partition-walls, and of the apparatus used to fabricate theelements forming the subject matter of the invention, and which areillustrated in the appended drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one angle of an element;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view along a medial plane parallel with outerfaces of an element;

FIG. 3 is a partial sectional view of a joint between two elements;

FIG. 4 is an elevational view of a partition constituted by elementsaccording to the invention, during construction;

H6. 5 is a perspective view of a key prior to installation;

FIG. 6 is a view in profile of the same key during installation;

FIG. 7 is a diagrammatic view of the apparatus serving to manufacturethe elements according to the invention.

The plates 1 constituting the partitioning elements according to theinvention are parallelepiped-shaped and their length is relatively greatas compared to their width. Where plates serving to make verticalpartition-walls are concerned, the length of each element 1 is a littleless than the height of a between-floors wall. Each element is composedof a rigid and resistant core covered with apparent facings consistingof smooth coatings 3, 4, the dimensions of which are equal to those ofthe core 2. 1n the examples illustrated, the surface of the apparentfacings 3, 4 is equal to the section of the core 2 in a medial planeparallel with the said facings 3, 4. All along the periphery of theelement 1, grooves 5, 6, 7 and cavities or cells 8 are cut in thematerial of the core 2 on the narrow face of the element 1. In theexample illustrated on FIG. I, the grooves 5 and 6 are semi-cylindricalin section whereas groove 7 is triangular in section but the grooves mayhave any section whatsoever. The grooves 5, 6 are parallel with theouter edges of the element 1. The cavities 8 have their axes located inthe medial plane of the element. The axes of the cavities 8 are obliquewith respect to the surface of the narrow faces of the element. It hasbeen found advantageous to so arrange the cavities 8 that their axes areinclined obliquely, alternatively in 4 one direction and the other; theinclination of the cavity axis is of the order of approximately from 30'to 45.

The core 2 is made from a conglomerate of plaster reinforced with straw,while the apparent facings 3, 4 are made from compact, polished andcalibrated plaster. Indeed, the dimensions of the various elements arerespectively strictly identical.

The core is not compulsorily made from plaster reinforced with straw. Ithas also been found advantageous to make the core from expanded andreinforced polysterol. Other materials may also be used provided theyensure the required res'mtance and their cost is not too high.

In order to form vertical partition-walls by means of the elements justdescribed, the latter are accurately juxtaposed by being keyed by meansof lyres 9. Thereafter the elements are keyed by being clamped againstone another and against the adjacent walls after the edges of the narrowfaces of the elements are coated with glue. The clamping is effected onone or another side and upwardly so as to apply the various elementsagainst the ceiling. The clamping is then preferably achieved by meansof resilient metal keys having the shape of an open lyre or omega suchas illustrated in FIG. 5. When the key 9 is open (FIG. 5) it has a givenheight )2. When the key 9 is closed and takes the shape of a lyre or ofan omega obtained by constricting the two legs (arrows l and 11) towardsone another, a new height H superior to h is conferred to the key 9.This new height is variable and depends upon the degree to which thesaid two legs of the lyre or the omega are moved nearer to one another.

When the keying is completed, a fluid binder is injected under pressureinto the joints from the bottom and fills the grooves 5, 6, 7 and thecavities 8. A very strong cement glue may be selected as a binder. Whenthe said binder hardens, it firmly binds the various elements of thepartition-wall to one another and to the adjacent walls of thestructure. The binding takes place at the level of the core 2, not atthe level of the facings 3, 4 which do not partake in resistance andwhich, therefore. do not tend to crack subsequently. The arrangement ofthe cavities 8 inclined alternatively in one direction and the otherincreues the cohesion of both elements held together by a cement gluejoint, the shape of which recalls that of a fish-bone. The binding tothe walls l2, 13 of the structure is also ensured by the cement glue. ifnecessary. grooves and cavities may be cut in the walls 12 and 13.

The binding of the partition-wall portion located on the side of thekeys 9 to the corresponding wall 14 of the structure is achieved byfilling the space comprised between the partition wall and the wall l4with a plastic material which is cast between the keys. This materialmay be cement, plaster or any other synthetic material.

The prefabrication of the elements I is carried out at the factory onthe machine diagrammatized in FIG. 7. In this machine the specialplaster and treated straw mixture l serving to make the core 2 is pouredinto the hopper 16 which distributes the same onto the conveyor band 17.The mixture may be compressed and pushed onto the band 17 which conveysit towards the die 20. The die 20 may have a plane surface to which areciprocating motion is imparted in order to suitably flatten and sizethe element. The setting and hardening time of the plaster is reduced byway of heating or by means of an accelerating or hardening admixture.Grooves 5, 6, 7 and cavities B are imprinted by means of dies and pinsor studs on the narrow faces of the elements at the level of the die 20.

Behind the die 20 is arranged a severing device (not shown) which is soadjusted as to enable to obtain elements or boards having an accuratelypredetermined length; as a rule, the length of the verticalpartition-walls is a little less than one interlevel height. The roughand rugose element thus formed is automatically conveyed and arrangedonto a marble member 21 where it receives the desired coating on one orboth faces to form the facing or facings 3 and 4. A series of similarand readily adjustable marble members having the selected dimensions inlength as well as in thickness is provided on the side of the die 20 toreceive the elements. The rotating speed of the marble members iscalculated according to the setting and hardening time of the selectedcoating or coatings.

The element 1 constituted by a core 2 coated with facings 3 and 4 isthen subjected to a die treatment a second time in order to be impartedquite definite dimensional characteristics, especially in thickness forwhich the tolerance is a few hundredths of a millimeter. The die 22 usedto this end achieves a smoothing and a hardening of the faces which areto remain apparent. A so-called cut, "smoo or alumed" plaster is thusobtained depending on the choice made by the user or the architect.

The elements thus obtained have a constant width and a strictly observedthickness. Their width may be readily adapted on the site by way ofsawing according to the dimension of the element. The sawing may bereplaced by any other cutting operation.

The element leaving the die 22 is pushed onto a table 23 on which it maybe straightened by a straightening device 24 as soon as it leaves thedie. or it may receive coatings such as finish papers, etc. In case ofapplication of finish papers, the face or faces to be treated areprinted at each edge with a cove or the like, so that the calico to bestuck on the site will not result in extra-thickness.

Subsequent to straightening, prints of paint, sound insulation oracoustic correction products or the like may be applied on the elements.

Thereafter, the elements covered with the coating are conveyedautomatically and vertically to a drying device and a store.

An insulating operation at the capillary rise of the unit may possiblybe performed by making the foot of the element I pass through aconstant-level tank filled with a dampor water-proofing liquid.

The elements and the method of manufacture thereof having thus beendescribed, the manner in which they are used on the site to formvertical partition-walls will now be indicated.

The elements in the dry state are arranged side by side and retained ina vertical plane, for instance by means of a set of rules, and they arejoined to the ceiling through the medium of sunk or embedded steel lyressuch as those illustrated in FIGS. 5 and 6 and the use of which hasalready been described. Thereafter, cement glue is injected into thejoints from the bottom of the elements into the channels formed by thegrooves 5, 7. The last operation consists in casting a plastic materialfrom the side where the partition-wall is keyed, for instance at thebottom between the keys 9 in case of a vertical partition-wall.

The elements according to the invention, the use thereof and thepartition-walls obtained therewith offer a great number of advantages.They enable to make prefabricated partition-wall elements of inter-levelheight, made or not from conventional materials and affording, by beingappropriately shaped, multiple possibilities of assemblies in vertical,horizontal and all directions, and serving to form division walls forhabitable rooms or for industrial, commercial or simply ornamentalpurpose. It also enables to make doubling or doubleceiling partitions.The jointing of the elements on the site enables to replace all theworking operations in their conventional form.

Their industrial manufacture eliminates all labor work at the factoryand their jointing on the site enables to replace all the conventionalworking operations leading to the same results.

The assembling of the elements limits labor work. The fact that theelements are bound together by their cores prevents the vertical crackswhich were usually rejointed by means of special plaster. The upperbinding prevents the partition from vibrating as a result of lack offirm connection with the ceiling. It should be reminded that,previously, the contraction of the head joint was also due to thedisplacement of the partition wall resulting from its lack of sturdinessor from lack of resistance of the material with which it is completelycoated on its six faces; this drawback is completely avoided by usingthe element according to the invention.

The special features of the assembly are advantageous not only owing tothe manner in which the uncrackable head joint under the ceiling isdesigned and carried out, but also owing to the vertical joint beingdesigned and carried out in an original manner, i.e. owing to theparticular arrangement of the grooves 5, 6, 7 and the cavities 8dissociating an applied force into various components. The grooves andcavities result in an increase in cohesion after the binding of theelements to one another subsequent to the drying of the special injectedcement glue.

The elements may be fabricated from a great variety of conventional andnew materials for the resistant core as well as the apparent facings.Such variety enables to take advantage of the apparent density of thecomplex thus constituted. Moreover, completely automated fabrication ofthe elements may be obtained, and since the fabrication is rapid itenables to comply with every requirement without having to keep important stocks. It should not be forgotten that the height of the lowerhorizontal joint in the case of a vertical partition-wall may varywithin extensive limits, so that elements of one and the same size maybe used to form partition-walls of various heights. The partition-wallsmay be made to measure from standard elements.

The inclination of the cavities alternatively in one direction andanother forming an angle of from 30 to 45 with respect to the narrowfaces of the element leads in fact to three desirable results.

Such an inclination does not result only in a keying" of the juxtaposedelements when the final hardening of the binder is completed, nor doesit ensure only the formation of a "fishbone distributing within thematerial of the core, in a complex form, the stresses caused by externalforces. Its purpose is above all to ensure the self-clamping of theelements with one another under the mechanical action of the contractionphenomena taking place in the cement glue injected subsequent toarrangement and preclamping of the elements in the dry state, and thisduring the whole duration of its setting time.

lt is thus seen that the partition-wall is of interest in that itenables in particular to takeadvantage of phenomena which were up to thepresent considered to be a major hindrance in other proposed types ofpartition-walls.

It is known from experience that the self-clamping of the elements withone another is all the more satisfactorily achieved as the percentage ofcontraction of the cement glue is higher.

Thus, advantage is now taken of a particular property of binders whichup to the present was considered to be harmful.

Of course, the invention is by no means limited to the forms ofembodiment described and illustrated, which have been given by way ofexample only. In particular, it comprises all the means constitutingtechnical equivalents to the means described as well as theircombinations, should the latter be carried out according to the spiritof the invention.

What is claimed is l. A building structure comprising at least twoprefabricated partition-wall elements each comprising a parallelepiped-shaped core member made of a rigid and resistant material, saidcore member having two rectangular main faces parallel to each other andperipheral narrow faces and at least one rectangular coating membercovering one at least of said rectangular main faces and forming anapparent smooth facing for the same, said peripheral narrow faces beingprovided with grooves and cavities, said partition-wall elements beingaccurately juxtaposed along their respective narrow faces so thatgrooves and cavities on the narrow face of one element registers withgrooves and cavities on the narrow face of the other element and beingbound with one another, at the level of said core members, by a binderinjected under pressure between said juxtaposed narrow faces so as tofill the said grooves and cavities, said elements bearing upon thefloor, the ceiling and any other backing structure through the medium ofresilient key means, a plastic material being cast on the side of saidbuilding structure where the said key means are located the said keymeans remaining in place in said building structure.

2. A building structure according to claim I, wherein said core memberis made of plaster reinforced with straw. whereas said coating member ismade of polished plaster.

3. A building structure according to claim I, wherein said core memberis made of expanded and reinforced polystyrene.

4. A building structure according to claim I, wherein said groovesprovided in said narrow faces have a semi-circular cross-section.

S. A building structure according to claim I, wherein said groovesprovided in narrow faces have a triangular cross-sec- 6. A buildingstructure according to claim I, wherein a portion at least of saidpartition-wall elements is water-proofed by way of steeping.

7. A building structure according to claim 1, adapted to provide avertical partition-wall, wherein the height of the said elements is lessthan that of the said vertical partition-wall the aforesaid key meansbeing inserted between said elements and said floor so as to apply saidelements on said ceiling and being subsequently concealed.

8. A building structure according to claim I, wherein said key meanshave the shape of an open lyre.

9. A building structure according to claim I, wherein said cavities areinclined obliquely with respect to said peripheral narrow faces.

10. A building structure according to claim 9, wherein said cavities areinclined obliquely, alternatively in one direction and the other.

1. A building structure comprIsing at least two prefabricatedpartition-wall elements each comprising a parallele piped-shaped coremember made of a rigid and resistant material, said core member havingtwo rectangular main faces parallel to each other and peripheral narrowfaces and at least one rectangular coating member covering one at leastof said rectangular main faces and forming an apparent smooth facing forthe same, said peripheral narrow faces being provided with grooves andcavities, said partition-wall elements being accurately juxtaposed alongtheir respective narrow faces so that grooves and cavities on the narrowface of one element registers with grooves and cavities on the narrowface of the other element and being bound with one another, at the levelof said core members, by a binder injected under pressure between saidjuxtaposed narrow faces so as to fill the said grooves and cavities,said elements bearing upon the floor, the ceiling and any other backingstructure through the medium of resilient key means, a plastic materialbeing cast on the side of said building structure where the said keymeans are located the said key means remaining in place in said buildingstructure.
 2. A building structure according to claim 1, wherein saidcore member is made of plaster reinforced with straw, whereas saidcoating member is made of polished plaster.
 3. A building structureaccording to claim 1, wherein said core member is made of expanded andreinforced polystyrene.
 4. A building structure according to claim 1,wherein said grooves provided in said narrow faces have a semi-circularcross-section.
 5. A building structure according to claim 1, whereinsaid grooves provided in narrow faces have a triangular cross-section.6. A building structure according to claim 1, wherein a portion at leastof said partition-wall elements is water-proofed by way of steeping. 7.A building structure according to claim 1, adapted to provide a verticalpartition-wall, wherein the height of the said elements is less thanthat of the said vertical partition-wall the aforesaid key means beinginserted between said elements and said floor so as to apply saidelements on said ceiling and being subsequently concealed.
 8. A buildingstructure according to claim 1, wherein said key means have the shape ofan open lyre.
 9. A building structure according to claim 1, wherein saidcavities are inclined obliquely with respect to said peripheral narrowfaces.
 10. A building structure according to claim 9, wherein saidcavities are inclined obliquely, alternatively in one direction and theother.